Cylinder transporting device for industrial trucks



H. A. REINHART 2,548,063

April 10, 1951- CYLINDER TRANSPORTING DEVICE FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS Filed Sept. 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' HOWARD AJk/M/AR:

5% ATT UFNEY 2,548,063 CYLINDER TRANSPOR'I'ING DEVICE FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS I Filed Sept. 22, 1947 1951 H. A. REINHART April 10,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arramvav Patented Apr. 10, 1951 CYLINDER TRANSPORTING DEVICE FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS Howard A. Reinhart, San Francisco, Calif., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Tray-Hart, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey, George D. Cherry, First National Bank of J ersey City,

Jersey. City,,Nl J.

Application September 22, 1947, Serial N 0. 775,497

I 8. Claims. 1

My present invention. relates broadly to article handling. apparatus and more. particularly to an improved,attachment.for power driven. vehicles of. therso-called lift type by which. the plurality of cylindrical gas containers and other similar. articles may be handled. in. nested groups and transported from one locationto another in a convenient and: efiicient'; manner.

An object of the invention. is to provide an apparatus. or attachment foria power driven vehicle by whicha plurality of articles may besimultaneously' picked up and transported as aunit? from one location to another in anew, novel and practical manner;

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for handling a nested plurality of pressure gas bottles or like cylindrical containers, which may be carried upon a conventional lift truck and in which the gas bottles'or cylindrical containers are handled in nested groups and held so that they may be picked up as a unit for transporting toadistant point where they are subsequently unloaded in the same nestedrelation.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a novel form of vertically movable frame having a compartment-or compartments into which sev eral articles to be transported are held by a novel wedging means which becomes operative when the frame is' moved with respect to the articles to be transported and which is releasable only when the articles disposed" therein-are supported freely of 'theframe.

A further objector the inventionv is to provide a means for transporting? a plurality of like articles from one. position to. another. in. which a horizontally disposed; frame having a compartment or. aplurality of compartments with grav i'ty responsive gripping means. is. mounted. to extend outwardly at the front of alift truck so that it may be. lowered over a nested. group of articles which are thenlengaged by the. gripping meansso thatupon a subsequentupward movement of the. frame the. gripping means will be'-- come: operative and cause the articles to be pickedup as a group for transportation to a distant point.

Other. objects andadvantagesof the invention will be in part evident'to. those skilled in. the arttand in part. pointed out. in: the following'description' taken. in connection. with theaccord-- panying dra-wingszwherein. there areshown by way of illustration. and. not; of limitation a preferred embodiment: of the invention".

In. the drawings;

Figure 1 is a perspective view" showing a portion of a conventional lift truck with my improved apparatus mounted thereupon,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line IIIIII of Figure 2 looking in direction of arrows,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side View of the device as shown in Figure 1. of the drawings,

Figure 5 is an enlarged. verticalsection taken along line V-V'of Figure 2 looking in direction of arrows and showing details. of theinvention,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line VIVI of Figure 4 looking in direction of arrows,

Figure 7 shows further details of construction, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 40f the drawings.

In a co-pending application filed by me and Mr. Arthur M. Selvey, as joint inventors, entitled Apparatus for transporting cylindrical containers and the like Serial No. 704,518, filed October 19, 1946 and now Patent No. 2,528,783 granted November 7, 1950, there is shown and claimed a cylindrical container transporting apparatus upon which the present invention is an improvement. As distinguished from the apparatus of the aforesaid application the present invention contemplates the gripping and handling of a plurality of cylindrical articlesas a group and in which gripping elements are arranged in such a manner that a single operating mechanism will serve to simultaneously control the article'gripping and releasing action of the device. More specifically my present device is particularly adapted for the transportation of small diameter containers and is arranged to carry at least-four cylindrical articles in each of its compartments. A. further: advantage of this device is that the. number of operative wedging elements: is reduced to a minimum as only a single wedge-or gripping member is required for each group of four cylindrical articles.

Like the above identified co-pending application, my present device contemplates a horizontally disposed frame-like member [0 having transversely extending partitions II and I2 whichiintersect atiagright angleto each other and form. fourcompart'ments. into each one of which four gasibottles, or like. cylindrical. containers I 3, may be disposed; At the-center of the frame It! and extending. upwardly from the intersecting 3 point of the partitions II and I2 there is a fluid pressure responsive means I4 that will be described in detail hereinafter and which is adapted to simultaneously control and render inoperative four wedging members one each of which operate within one of the four compartments of the frame II). In this particular showing the fluid pressure responsive means I4 has a fluid pressure supply conduit I5 that'connects with a source of fluid pressure carried by a truck I6 of the conventional fork lift type and at its rear side the frame I0 is adapted to be secured to a vertically movable frame member I! which forms a part of an elevating structure It} such as is customarily provided upon trucks of the so-called fork lift type. I I

As is more clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the four compartments of the frame Ill, here respectively identified by the numerals I9, 20, 2| and 22 are symmetrically arranged with respect to each other so that the rectangular frame It) together with the transversely extending partitions II and I2 provide compartments of a size suflicient to accommodate four cylindrical containers. In this manner a total of sixteen cylindrical articles or containers may be picked up and transported in a single operation. The fluid pressure responsive means I4 is here adapted to control the operation of four vertically movable wedging members 23, 24, 25 and 26 which are respectively located in the innermost corners of the compartments I9, 23, 2! and 22 and at the outermost corners of these four compartments there are oppositely arranged pressure resisting pads 21, 28, 29 and 3B which respectively cooperate with the wedging members 23, 24, 25 and 26 to form a grip upon the adjacent wall of a cylindrical article or container positioned there against. As an additional means to insure a firm gripping of a group of four cylindrical articles or containers in each of the compartments I9, 20, 2I and 22 the remaining corners of these compartments are provide-d with angularly disposed guide plates 3I and 32 which will serve to maintain a close nested relation between the several cylindrical containers in each of the compartments when the associated wedging means is in operation.

As is more clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings each of the pressure resisting pads 27,

28, 29 and are pivotally mounted so as to rock about a vertically extending pin 33 which is carried by a bracket 34 welded in the outermost corners of the frame II]. In this arrangement these pads may rock from one side to the other and thus provide for an equalization of the pressures exerted upon two adjacent cylindrical articles or containers when the opposed and cogperating wedging members come into operaion.

As shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the frame I0 is arranged to extend outwardly in front of the elevating mechanism I8 of the power driven truck I6. This showing also indicates that the fluid pressure operating mechanism I4 is positioned outwardly from the truck and centrally of the four compartments formed by the partitions I I and I2 which extend at right angles within the limits of the frame III.

The details of construction ofthe operating mechanism will now be described in connection with the remaining figures of the drawings. As shown in Figure 5, the fluid responsive operating mechanism I4 includes a fluid pressure cylinder 35 within which there'is a vertically operating or .n)

piston 36 that moves in response to fluid pressure admitted through the conduit I5 at the lower end of the cylinder 35. To assist and insure against a sticking and a return stroke of the piston 36 when the'fluid pressure is removed I provide a compression spring arrangement 31. At the upper end of the piston 36 there is a disc-like member 38 through which four rods, designated by the numerals 39, 40, 4I and 42, extend and carry abutments in the form of locked nuts 43. At their lower ends these rods 39, 40, 4| and 42 are connected respectively to the four wedging members 23, 24, 25 and 26 so that when the piston 36 is moved upwardly by fluidunder pressure these wedging members wiil be raised with respect to the frame I!) and the partitions II and I2 provided therein. In this particular instance the wedging members 23, 24, 25 and 26 are guided into wedging relation within the cylindrical articles or containers within the compartments of the frame III by means of angularly disposed bearing plates 44 which are disposed in the adjacent corners of the four compartments. These bearing plates each have a flanged face along their outer surfaces that is formed by the welding of transversely extend ing plates 45. A description on the mounting of one of these wedging members should serve to explain the construction. For example, the wedge 24 is here shown as having a right angled clip 43 welded along each of its sides which will overhang the flanges formed by the plate 45 to thus retain it in sliding relation with its associated bearing plate 44. Extending upwardly from the wedge 24 there is a connecting member 4! to which the lower end of the rod 4%) is connected. In this instance the rods 39, 48, 4| and 42 are each shown as extending through coiled compression springs 48 which will operate to return the wedging members into their operative positions when the fluid pressure operating mechanism I4 is not energized. At this point it should be stated that these springs 43 may be dispensed with whenever the weight of the wedging members is such that the force of gravity alone is suflicient to return the wedging members 23, 24, 25 and 26 to their lowermost positions. In any event, these compression springs 48 will be of only sufficient strength to insure a full return of the wedges 23, 24 and 25 to their lowermost and operating positions. The springs 48 are not necessarily required to provide the wedging force as a wedging effect sufiicient to produce a gripping of the articles within the compartments of the frame It) will be created by the weight of the cylindrical articles as the frame I0 is raised with respect thereto. In this manner it will be seen that the gripping and releasing of articles for transportation by the frame I0 is controlled by the use of a single fluid pressure cylinder 35 and with a single wedging member in each of the four compartments.

At this point and before going on to the remaining figures of the drawing, it will be noted that the fluid pressure cylinder 35 with its operating piston 36 is secured at its lower end to a plate 49 that is Welded at the upper edges of the transversely extending partitions I I and I2 at the point where they intersect or, in other words, centrally of the frame I0.

As shown in Figure '7 of the-drawings each of the wedging members 23, 24, 25 and 26 are provided with an arcuate surface forming plate 50 which will have a curvature conforming substan tially to the curvature of the outer surface of' th gamma cylindrical containers or' other articles: ta betransportedv by the: devices here disclosed; In:

some instances these arcuate plates 5B may be provided with a facing of rubber-or leather" in order to" provide for an increased cos-efficient of friction which would further serve to i'nsure'a downward'wedging action by the several wedging' members when the frame I0 with its inclined group of cylindrical containers or" like: articles? sufficient to fill one or more'of the compartments; formed by'the' partitions H and If the assoa ciated" wed'ging'members" 23, 2'4, 25. and/or 25 will byvirtue of its'contact with the" wall of anadj'acent container or cylindrical member be caused to wedge themselves against said: con-- tainers and thus create a clamping force which will cause the engagedgroup of cylindrical containersor articles to be carried upwardly and raised'from any supporting surface by the frame In as the elevating mechanism l8 of the'truck It is set in operation; Then when the cylindrical containers or other articles are thus picked u and have been brought to roper elevation'they maybe carried as a group to any other desired location. Now to release and discharge thecylindrical articles, thustransported, from the frame l0, it will only be necessary to lower the frame In until the bottoms of the'contain'ers or other articles have engaged with a suitable independent supporting surface. When this occurs; the wedging members 273,2 4,- 25 and. 2 6 may be rendered inoperative by the admission of a fluid under" pressure to the cylinder 35 of the fluid pressure-responsive means [4; This will permit the frame 10 to be moved upward and free of the articles just transported. In this connection, while the frame It! is hereillustrated and described as having four compartmentseach capable of carrying four of the cylindrical containers orother articles it willbe understood th'at the frame Ill may be provided'with a single compartment or a greater or less number ofcompartments depending upon the use to which the invention is to be put. It will also be understood that where the number of articles less than the total capacity of the frame are to be transported from one point to another it will be necessary to nest these articles so that at least four of the articles will be positioned in one or the other of the compartments formed by the partitions H and 12. In other words, my device will operate equally well with any number of cylindrical containers or other articles provided the grouping of at least four will be disposed in each of the occupied compartments.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that thejsame can be'readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an article handling device for transportmg a plurality-oi vertically disposed cylindrical articles from on'e'po'int to another; the combina tionLof'a horizontally disposed outer frame'haw ing intersecting partitions forming rectangular compartments into each ofwhich the upper ends of a plurality of nested cylindrical articles may extend, said compartments being open at their bottoms'to permit said frame to be lowered over anest of articles to be transportedand with a plurality of said articles in each of said'compartments, a gravity actuated wedging member disposed in one corner of each of said compartments adapted upona relative upward movement of said frameto engage one of said articles, and

means at the'other corners of each of'said compartments' adapted to cooperate with said wedging' member and cause said nested articles to be gripped as a unit when said frame is raised relative thereto.

2'. In an article handling device for transporting a plurality of vertically disposed cylindrical articles from one point to another, the combination of a horizontally disposed frame having partitions forming a plurality of reotangular compartments into which the upper ends of a number of nested cylindrical articles may extend, said frame being adapted and arranged for raising and lowering over and with respect to a nest of articles to be transported with a plurality of said articles in each of said compartments, a gravity actuated wedging member member disposed in one corner of each of said compartments adapted upon a relative upward movement of said frame to engage one of said articles and cause said nested articles to be gripped fortransportation as a unit as said frame is raised, and means for rendering said wedging member inoperative when said articles are positioned upon an independent supporting surface.

3. In a cylindrical container handling device of the character described, the combination of a horizontally extending rectangular frame having vertical partitions forming four open bottom compartments therein each capable of accommodating four vertically disposed cylindrical containers when grouped in contact with each other, means at the three'outer corners of each of said four compartments against which the outermost of said containers are adapted to engage, and a gravity actuated wedging member arranged in the innermost corner of each of said compartments adapted when said frame is moved upwardly relative to said cylindrical containers to clamp four of said containers in each of said compartments.

4. In a cylinder handling device of the character described, the combination of a horizontally disposed rectangular frame having vertical partitions forming four compartments each capable of accommodating a plurality of vertically standing cylindrical articles, means within the three outer corners of each of said compartments against which the outermost of said articles are adapted to engage, a gravity actuated wedging member arranged in the remaining corner of each of said compartments adapted to engage one of said articles in each of said'compartments when said frame is moved upwardly relative thereto, and an operating means common to all of said wedging means adapted when energized to render said wedging means inoperative and permit free relative upward movement of frame when said cylindrical containers are brought to rest upon an independent supporting surface.

5. In a cylindrical container handling device of the character described, the combination of a horizontally disposed rectangular frame having a compartment capable of accommodating a plurality of vertically standing cylindrical containers when nested together, a gravity actuated wedging member arranged in one corner of said compartment adapted to clamp said containers in said compartment when said frame is moved upwardly relative thereto, a pivotally mounted pad arranged in said compartment diagonally opposite said gravity actuated wedging member against which one of said cylindrical containers is adapted to engage, and guide means disposed in the remaining corners of said compartment tending toguide said containers into clamped engagement with each other and toward said pivotally mounted pad as said gravity actuated wedging member operates.

6. In a cylindrical container handling device of the character described, the combination of a horizontally disposed rectangular-frame having a compartment capable of accommodating a plurality of vertically standing cylindrical containers when nested together, a gravity actuated wedging member arranged in one corner of said compartment adapted to clamp said containers in said compartment when said frame is moved upwardly relative thereto, a pivotally mounted pad arranged in said compartment diagonally opposite said gravity actuated wedging member against which one of said cylindrical containers is adapted to engage, guide means disposed in the remaining corners of said compartment tending to guide said containers into clamped engagement with each other as said gravity actuated wedging member operates, and a fluid pressure operating means adapted when energized to render said wedging means inoperative and permit free relative upward movement of said frame independently of said cylindrical containers when said cylinders are brought to rest upon an under supporting surface.

7. In a compartmented frame having intersecting partitions forming adjoining compartments, a gravity responsive wedging member disposed in the adjacent corners of each of said adjoining compartments for gripping articles disposed therein,-a single fluid-pressure cylinder having an operating pistonmeans disposed centrally of said wedging members, and an operating connection between said piston means and each of said wedging members adapted to simultaneously raise said wedging members against the action of gravity when fluid under pressure is admitted to said cylinder to thereby render said wedging member inoperative and thus release any articles held in said compartments when said articles are positioned upon an independent supporting surface.

8. In a compartmented frame having intersecting partitions forming four adjoining cornpartments, a downwardly operating wedging member disposed in the adjacent corners of each of said adjoining compartments for gripping articles disposed therein, a single fluid pressure cylinder having an upwardly operating piston disposed centrally of said wedging members, and means forming an operating connection between said piston and each of said wedging members adapted when fluid under pressure is admitted to said cylinder to raise said wedging members with respect to said frame and thus permit said frame to be lowered over articles to be transported and also release any articles held in said compartments by said wedging means when said articles are positioned upon an independent sup: porting surface.

HOWARD A. REINHART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

.UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 1,555,379 Moody Sept. 29, 1925 1,797,494 Campbell Mar. 24, 1931 1,900,569 Lederer Mar. 7, 1933 1,929,447 Remde Oct. 10, 1933 2,138,498 McMillan Nov. 29, 1938 2,178,369 Dunham Oct. 31, 1939 2,317,064 J osephian Apr. 20, 1943 2,340,812 Koob Feb. 1, 1944 2,437,806 Dempster Mar. 16, 1948 

